Ongoing Harassments against the Spanish Aid Worker Detained in Israeli Prison

The Spanish newspaper The Independent highlighted that Juana Ruiz, a Spanish citizen who has been an aid worker in Palestine for more than three decades, is being held in an Israeli prison.

Ruiz, 62, has experienced the suffering of the residents who have fallen victim to a "seemingly unresolved conflict," according to the newspaper.

The newspaper pointed out that the Spanish and European citizens receive the same judicial treatment that the Palestinians in the occupied territories, meaning that they apply military law to them on the suspicion that they threaten the security of Israel.

In this sense, several MEPs, including Spain's Soraya Rodriguez, denounced the failure to respect the presumption of innocence and the violation of Juana's rights to defense, enshrined in the Vienna Convention.

 

Juana's Story

On the morning of April 13, 2021, a group of armed Israeli soldiers broke into Ruiz's home in Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem.

Since then, the Health Work Committees project coordinator has been arrested.

The newspaper stated that the military trial, which was scheduled for the beginning of August 2021, was postponed to the beginning of September due to the registration of new evidence.

In this regard, Juana Ruiz was first seen with her hands and feet tied.

She was charged with five counts of using Spanish cooperation funds to fund the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, an organization designated as terrorist by Israel and the European Union.

Ironically, when Juana was arrested, she was dedicating herself to mitigating the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on the Palestinian population.

The newspaper reported that part of the funds managed by the organization come from the European Union, and others also come from the Spanish Cooperation Organization.

In this regard, the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated in a letter dated August 5 that the EU was "following up on all allegations of possible misuse or diversion of funds."

To date, no documented evidence of misuse or transfer of funds has been found in Palestine, according to Borrell. He added: "The European Union is studying the accusations of the Israelis in this case."

The newspaper reported that five charges were brought against Juana Ruiz a month after her arrest: 3 crimes related to association with an illegal organization.

 

One charge of illegally bringing funds into Palestine, and another of violating the Penal Code relating to the use of the granted funds.

However, the aid worker was arrested first, then charges were brought, and eventually a trial took place.

It should be noted that the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Alparís, spoke after taking office with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel Yair Lapid, and hinted at the case of Juana Ruiz, which the consular representatives are closely following.

The newspaper pointed out that the Spanish representative, Soraya Rodriguez, of the Ciudadanos party, considers that there are many violations recorded in this case, despite the fact that Israel is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Despite this, Juana Ruiz was arrested without charge and spent nearly a month in solitary confinement in a prison near Tel Aviv, where she was interrogated for six hours.

Moreover, she was forced to sign documents in Hebrew, without the translation to which she was entitled.

Her family and relatives were also unable to provide her with medication or the glasses she needed.

Europe Moves

The newspaper reported that Soraya Rodriguez and several members of the European Parliament condemned the European External Action Service and the Israeli Embassy in the European Union for not respecting the presumption of innocence of the Spanish aid worker.

In addition, Ruiz did not receive any visit from her lawyer until 1 June at noon, just 24 hours before the initial start of her trial, which was finally postponed at the request of the defense lawyer.

The newspaper reported that Rodriguez highlighted how "Juana Ruiz was subjected to degrading treatment and enormous physical and psychological pressure."

According to the member of the European Parliament, this accusation came in light of "the strategy of criminalizing solidarity in Palestine, which was proven through the arrest of the director and other members of the same organization."

For Israel, linking Palestinian social organizations to political and military resistance movements is an easy and high-impact weapon, says the newspaper.

It indicated that the family and those close to Juana fear that the process will take a long time. In this sense, the family's spokesperson, Begonia Lallana, explains: "The defense will challenge the charges."

She continues: "We fear that the attorney general's office will present new evidence, and they are likely to expand the charges. Everything indicates that the process is going on for a long time."

The people around her and members of the European Parliament who followed the case are also concerned that the current situation continue and Juana Ruiz will remain in prison for a longer period, despite the lack of evidence against her.

There are also fears that the case will be postponed again in September. "The problem is that the procedure does not contain specific guarantees, that is, legal procedures that allow the exercise of rights," the family spokeswoman added.

"It was not known why Juana was detained until May, we are always in a state of ​​uncertainty and everything is always delayed," she said.

She added: "The trial of June 2 was suspended because the lawyer was not allowed to contact Juana. Generally, these irregularities are common in military actions that tend to target the Palestinian population."

The newspaper reported that the cooperation funds allocated by the European Union are closely monitored.

"The European Union has not yet detected any suspicious transfer of funds," says MEP Rodriguez of the European Liberal Group.

She continued, "The accusation of Israel is not only against Juana Ruiz and her organization, but is also directed in some way at the international donors whose money has been transferred."

The newspaper reported that Rodriguez considers that "the case of Juana Ruiz also highlights a system of discrimination at the legal level against the Palestinian population."

She continued: "The system of criminalization of solidarity that we know is not new. The European Union should act politically in this area as well."

She concluded: "In our relations with Israel, we must put our values ​​first. Juana Ruiz is a Spanish citizen, and what is happening to her is intolerable."

But if we stand up for human rights, it is impossible not to question a system based on systemic discrimination,” in Israel, she said.